this may not relate to anything already discussed, but one of the problems with the mainstream press NOT covering soccer well is that it doesn't let "other voices" in. It depends upon these so-called "trained journalists" who indeed often have no experience with the sport. Some do a decent job but I actually prefer many of the bloggers who have that experience. There's really no difference between a journalist and a good blogger than pay and title.
The fact that journalism always tries to privilege itself as the route to "truth" (whatever that is) is something I'm constantly critiquing. Currently i study news discourse development in history at the PhD level and these issues are central.
btw, I did my MA in journalism and did an internship at a Sun Media paper. Before that I worked at a campus paper and a community newspaper (90% ads, 10% content
I find the bloggers and their audience comments to be a refreshing way to get around the problems of these mainstream entities. And if people comment and enjoy doing it, someday they may get co-opted into the mainstream media -- which is what we want